Carriers or pockets for stamps and similar flat articles



Nov. 25, 1958 H. wxDMAlER CARRIERS OR POCKETS FOR STAMPS AND SIMILAR FLAT ARTICLES Filed Aug. 2e. 1954 United States Patent() "l CARRIERS R POCKETS FOR STAMPS AND SIMILAR FLAT ARTICLES lHns widmaier, Berlin, Germany Application August 26, 1954,'se'ri`a1Np. 452,379 Claims priority, application Germany December 30, 1949 4 claims. (c1. 411-159) The present invention relates to improved holders or carriers having pockets, envelopes or the like for stamps and similar lat objects, such as labels, prints, etc. More particularly, the invention relates to improved holders of the aforesaid type, in which the pockets have a transparent cover leaf and a back leaf joined to each other along a fold or seam which aids in retaining in place the stamps or like substantially flat objects inserted therein.

It has long been known to mount stamps or similar at objects in albums or the like by means of a holder carrying an adhesive strip onV its underside and provided with an aperture for receiving the object or objects. Such adhesive strips were made of transparent, stii paper, such as relatively' weak cardboard, tracing cloth, parchment, or resinous foils and `were secured to a surface by adhesive means. Such adhesive strips made of transparent and therefore exceedingly thin materials have proven so flaccid, that the objects are not properly held in the envelopes; the requisite clamping action was obtained only by use of a hard paper or thin cardboard, i. e., by use of opaque cover materials.

Attempts have been made to obtain pockets or envelopes exerting a clamping action by the use of. transparent cover or front leaves of cellophane lconnected to respective backing'leaves, such as paper or similar ksheet material. When placing s'uch carriers or envelopes in albums, however, the space taken up by these envelopes was excessive. For example, with an album having 50 sheets or 100 pages the thickness of the stamps alone would run approximately l0 mm. i. e., about 0.1 mm. per stamp. The envelopes with transparent covers, however, are each about 0.15 mm. thick and consequently the total thickness of stamps and envelopes is about 25 mm., which thickness must be taken up by the binding of the album. Moreover, if the cover leaf of the envelope is bent under the rear or back leaf another 5 mm. thickness is added.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide means facilitating insertion and display of stamps, bank notes, labels or like at articles in a carrier system of extremely reduced thickness.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means affording retention of said flat articles in envelopes or pockets having a transparent cover leaf for ease of display and an opaque backing leaf of relatively greater strength than that of said cover leaf.

It is still another object of the invention to provide means rendering the possibility of storing and retaining one or more substantially flat articles, such as stamps, labels, bank notes and like articles in a carrier which is devoid of any marked bulkiness and consequentlyv does not contribute to heavy album or like collection book structures heretofore generally objected to.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide means conducive to a durable and highly practical holder or carrier for displaying stamps and the like, which carrier is light in weight, may be readily conformed to any sur- 2,861,369 Patented Nov. 25, 1958 ICC face configuration of a suitable support, such as an album, and effectively protects the stamps and like articles against damage and spoilage.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide means enabling the use of springy and elastic polystyryl resinous strip or foil material for a carrier of the aforesaid type, which eiciently holds the article for display and in a substantially flat condition thereby protecting the serrated or notched edge or edges of the respective article.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide means affording an etiicient carrier which due to its construction automatically exerts a predetermined clamping action on the stamp and like article enclosed in said carrier thereby ensuring automatic straightening out of the article to substantially flat condition.`

Still a further object ofthe present invention is to provide means facilitating ready insertion in and removal of one or more at articles in side by side relation in regard to a space provided between cover and backing leaves which constitute said carrier.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide means enhancing the retention of the article in the carrier, different materials and curvatures for the cover leaf and for the back leaf, respectively, being employed and different thicknesses for the cover leaf and back leaf being selected to thereby regulate the springiness of the same.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means regulating the gap between back leaf and front or cover leaf of the carrier commensurate with the thickness of the article to be displayed, one of said leaves being offset with respect to the other leaf thereby obtaining a tendenly of said leaves automatically to close one upon the ot er.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide means aiming at a particular reinforced construction of the free edges of the carrier or envelope, which normally are subjected to manipulation for closing and opening said carrier.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide means facilitating the enclosure of one or more substantially ilat articles in a closable carrier provided with a pressure-adhesive or like means.

Yet a further object of the present invention is t0 provide means serving the purpose of removably or detachably connecting adjacent edges of cover and back leaves for closing said carrier and for facilitating repeated insertion and removal of articles to be displayed by said carrier.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide means utilizing an opening or slot of one of the leaves and situated substantially midway of `the height of said leaf, to facilitate insertion of an article in and removal from said carrier.

Yet another object of the present invention. is t0 provide means aiding in a simplified and effective con- Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a carrier embodying the invention and consisting of a stamp pocket or envelope,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a modified carrier provided with a curved cover leaf,

ont the necessity of any additional molding steps. Thus, it is possible to produce beading at the free edge of the pocket or to give the free edge any other suitable shape which will facilitate insertion and withdrawal of the article to be displayed.

As shown in Figs. l() and ll, the free edge of the rear leaf may further be shaped to accommodate the free edge of the front or top leaf under the turned over rim of said back leaf. Thus, by the creation of double clamping seams the article to be displayed is permanently undisplaceable Within the carrier or pocket. Such advantages are further attained according to the embodiments shown in Figs. 12 to 16, inclusive.

According to Figs. l5 and 16, only two straight layers 0f foil are required to bring about insertion of the article therebetween and without requiring any folded over and Vlike rims.

A further advantage of such structure is that only a part of the back leaf requires adhesion to an album or like carrier and that theft and other damage to the article to be displayed will be made practically impossible.

It is preferred in many instances and in particular when applied to a stamp collectors album that the rear or back leaf be made at least partially transparent o-r translucent in order to clearly coincide with the field or area to which the back leaf is to be aflixed.

It is further possible to provide indicia (figure or catalog numbers as well as other markings or identifications) on the front face of the back leaf for collecting purposes so that the article to be inserted in the pocket of the carrier Will be placed in any desired position.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided in accordancer with the invention a carrier for a stamp, label and like fiat article, comprising a substantially U- shaped strip of spring hard, thermoplastic, non-hygroscopic foil material forming two legs terminating in adjacent marginal edges, and preshaped welded seam means forming a crosspiece at a location of said legs opposite said marginal edges and intimately connecting predetermined portions of said legs to such an extent, as to impart a preload to the remainder of said legs so that one leg is forced against the other leg at said adjacent marginal edges in abutting relation, thereby maintaining said article in substantially ilat condition between said legs when inserted therebetween.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that such obvious changes and modifications be embraced by the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. A carrier for receiving and releasing a stamp, label and like substantially flat article, comprising two spring hard, non-hygroscopc weldable, thermoplastic leaves which are arranged one above the other and in mutual intimate surface contact, one of said leaves forming a cover leaf and being transparent, said cover leaf being united with the other leaf forming a back leaf along at least one marginal edge of same so that the leaves exert a clamping action on said at article when inserted therebetween, at least said one leaf being curved so that the mantle line of curvature is substantially parallel to said one marginal edge, the opposite edge of said cover leaf contacting the back leaf when the flat article is inserted therebetween.

2. A carrier according to claim l, wherein said back leaf is substantially flat and extends in a single plane.

3. A carrier of the type described comprising two substantially coextensive leaves made of weldable resinous material, at least one of said leaves being provided with a curved portion to thereby impart to said one leaf a bias for urging said one leaf toward said other leaf, said curved portion being convexly curved outwardly, at least one pair of adjacent edges of said leaves being welded to each other, another pair of adjacent edges located opposite said one pair of adjacent edges being separable from each other against the action of said bias for the insertion of an article between said leaves and for removal therefrom.

4. An envelope for a stamp and like article comprising two spring hard strips of weldable, thermoplastic polymeric substance arranged one above the other and normally in surface contact with each other, one of said strips being transparent, both strips being directly welded along one pair of adjacent marginal edges thereof and to an extent so that the remainder of said strips exerts a clamping action on an article when inserted therebetween, said one strip being curved convexly outwardly with respect to the other of said strips and exposing said article through said transparent strip.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,736,950 Wangemann Nov. 26, 1929 2,142,843 Harris lan. 3, 1939 2,508,854 Brodsky May 23, 1950 2,687,590 Johnson Aug. 31, 1954 2,725,913 Horwin Dec. 6, 1955 

